13 Underrated National Parks for Avoiding Summer Crowds

13. Great Sand Dunes National Park: Nature’s Desert Mirage

Tucked into the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado, Great Sand Dunes National Park is a surreal landscape where towering dunes—some rising over 750 feet—create a striking contrast against the backdrop of snow-capped peaks. Often overlooked in favor of more traditional mountain parks, this hidden gem offers a unique blend of desert mystique and alpine majesty. Visitors can hike barefoot across warm sands, try sandboarding down massive slopes, or cool off in the seasonal Medano Creek that flows at the base of the dunes. As night falls, the park transforms into a stargazer’s paradise, boasting some of the clearest night skies in the country. With relatively light foot traffic and a dreamlike terrain unlike anywhere else in the U.S., Great Sand Dunes is a summer sanctuary for those craving both adventure and quiet. It’s a place where the silence is deep, the stars are bright, and the sand holds stories of wind and time.